EXHIBIT 1.1
DELUXE CORPORATION
US $300,000,000
MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, SERIES A
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
October 27, 1995
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.,
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated,
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Deluxe Corporation, a Minnesota corporation (the "Company"), proposes to
issue and sell from time to time its Medium-Term Notes, Series A (the
"Securities"), in an aggregate amount up to $300,000,000 and agrees with each of
you (individually, an Agent, and collectively, the "Agents") as set forth in
this Agreement.
Subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and to the reservation by
the Company of the right to sell Securities directly on its own behalf, the
Company hereby (i) appoints each Agent as an agent of the Company for the
purpose of soliciting and receiving offers to purchase Securities from the
Company pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof and (ii) agrees that, except as
otherwise contemplated herein, whenever it determines to sell Securities
directly to any Agent as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement
(each, a "Terms Agreement"), substantially in the form of Annex I hereto,
relating to such sale in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof. This Distribution
Agreement shall not be construed to create either an obligation on the part of
the Company to sell any Securities or an obligation of any of the Agents to
purchase Securities as principal.
The Company may accept offers to purchase Securities through an agent other
than an Agent, provided that (i) the Company and such agent shall have executed
an agreement with respect to such purchases having terms and conditions with
respect to such purchases that are substantially similar to the terms and
conditions that would apply to such purchases under this Agreement if such agent
were an Agent (which may be accomplished by incorporating by reference in such
agreement the terms and conditions of this Agreement), and (ii) the Company
shall notify
1
the Agents prior to the execution of any such agreement and shall provide the
Agents with a copy of such agreement promptly following the execution thereof.
The Securities will be issued under an indenture, dated as of October 27,
1995 (the "Indenture"), between the Company and Norwest Bank Minnesota, National
Association, as Trustee (the "Trustee"). The Securities shall have the maturity
ranges, interest rates, if any, redemption provisions and other terms set forth
in the Prospectus referred to below as it may be amended or supplemented from
time to time. The Securities will be issued, and the terms and rights thereof
established, from time to time by the Company in accordance with the Indenture.
1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Agent
that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33-62041) under
the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") in respect of the Securities has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission");
such registration statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each
in the form heretofore delivered or to be delivered to such Agent,
excluding exhibits to such registration statement, but including all
documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus included therein,
have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; no other
document with respect to such registration statement or document
incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed or transmitted
for filing with the Commission (other than the prospectuses filed pursuant
to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the
Act, each in the form heretofore delivered to the Agents); and no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement has been
issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or to the
knowledge of the Company threatened by the Commission (any preliminary
prospectus included in such registration statement or filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the
Commission under the Act, are hereinafter called a "Preliminary
Prospectus"; the various parts of such registration statement, including
all exhibits thereto and the documents incorporated by reference in the
prospectus contained in the registration statement at the time such part of
the registration statement became effective but excluding Form T-1, each as
amended at the time such part of the registration statement became
effective, is hereinafter collectively called the "Registration Statement";
the prospectus (including, if applicable, any prospectus supplement)
relating to the Securities, in the form in which it has most recently been
filed, or transmitted for filing, with the Commission on or prior to the
date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any
reference herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference
therein pursuant to the applicable form under the Act, as of the date of
such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any
reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or
the Prospectus, including any supplement to the Prospectus that sets forth
only the terms of a particular issue of the Securities (a "Pricing
Supplement"), shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed
after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case
may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), and incorporated therein by reference; any reference to
any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and
include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration
Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement;
and any reference to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be
deemed to refer to and include the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
(including by the applicable Pricing Supplement filed in accordance with
Section 4(a) hereof)
2
in relation to Securities to be sold pursuant to this Agreement, in the
form filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Act and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof,
including any documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of
such filing);
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when
they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may
be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or
the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, or any further amendment or supplement
thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to
the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading;
(c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any
further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of
the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust
Indenture Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable
filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto,
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this representation and
warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company
by any Agent expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
to relate to a particular issuance of Securities;
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries that is a
significant subsidiary as defined in Rule 1-02(v) of Regulation S-X under
the Act (each, a "Significant Subsidiary") has sustained since the date of
the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus any material loss or interference with its
business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not
covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental
action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been
any material adverse change in the capital stock or consolidated long-term
debt of the Company (exclusive of the issue of debt contemplated by this
Agreement) or any material adverse change, or any development which the
Company has reasonable cause to believe will involve a prospective material
adverse change, in or affecting the financial position, shareholders'
equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;
3
(e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Minnesota,
with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus;
(f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable;
(g) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when executed,
authenticated and issued in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture
and delivered and paid for by the purchasers thereof, will be entitled to
the benefits provided by the Indenture and will be valid and binding
obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their respective
terms except to the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by (a)
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium
or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting
creditors' rights generally and (b) general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law
or in equity); the Indenture has been duly authorized and duly qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes a valid and legally binding
instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to
enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to
general equity principles; and the Indenture conforms and the Securities of
any particular issuance of Securities will conform in all material respects
to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented to relate to such issuance of Securities;
(h) The issue and sale of the Securities, the compliance by the
Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture, this
Agreement and any Terms Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions
herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a
breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or
other agreement or instrument pursuant to which the Company has
indebtedness outstanding and which is material to the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole (except for any such conflict, breach,
violation or default which has been consented to or waived), nor will such
action result in any violation of the provisions of the Articles of
Incorporation, as amended, or the Amended By-laws ("By-laws") of the
Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of
its properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any court or governmental agency
or body is required for the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities,
the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of
the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any Terms Agreement
or the Indenture, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the
Commencement Date (as defined in Section 3 hereof), obtained under the Act
or the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities
or Blue Sky laws in connection with the solicitation by such Agent of
offers to purchase Securities from the Company and with purchases of
Securities by such Agent as principal, as the case may be, in each case in
the manner contemplated hereby;
(i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation
of its Articles of Incorporation or By-laws or in default in the
performance or observance of any material obligation, covenant or condition
contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease
or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or
4
any of its properties may be bound, which violation or default would have a
material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole;
(j) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company
or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject, which, individually or
in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse
effect on the current or future consolidated financial position,
shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole, and, to the best of the Company's knowledge,
no such proceedings are threatened by governmental authorities or others;
(k) The Company is not, and after giving effect to each offering and
sale of the Securities will not be, an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company", as such terms are defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act");
(l) Immediately after any sale of Securities by the Company hereunder
or under any Terms Agreement, the aggregate amount of Securities which
shall have been issued and sold by the Company hereunder or under any Terms
Agreement and of any debt securities of the Company (other than such
Securities) that shall have been issued and sold pursuant to the
Registration Statement will not exceed the amount of debt securities
registered under the Registration Statement; and
(m) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder.
2. (a) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein
contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each
of the Agents hereby severally and not jointly agrees, as agent of the
Company, to use its reasonable efforts to solicit and receive offers to
purchase the Securities from the Company upon the terms and conditions set
forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented from time to time. So
long as this Agreement shall remain in effect with respect to any Agent,
the Company shall not, without the consent of such Agent, solicit or accept
offers to purchase, or sell, any debt securities with a maturity at the
time of original issuance of 9 months to 30 years except pursuant to or as
contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the third
paragraph of this Agreement, any Terms Agreement, or except pursuant to an
offering of commercial paper pursuant to Section 3(a)(3) of the Act or a
private placement not constituting a public offering under the Act or
except in connection with a firm commitment underwriting pursuant to an
underwriting agreement that does not provide for a continuous offering of
medium-term debt securities. However, the Company reserves the right to
sell, and may solicit and accept offers to purchase, Securities directly on
its own behalf in transactions with persons other than broker-dealers, and,
in the case of any such sale not resulting from a solicitation made by any
Agent, no commission will be payable with respect to such sale. These
provisions shall not limit Section 4(f) hereof or any similar provision
included in any Terms Agreement.
Procedural details relating to the issue and delivery of Securities,
the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities and the payment in each
case therefor shall be as set forth in
5
the Administrative Procedure attached hereto as Annex II as it may be
amended from time to time by written agreement between the Agents and the
Company (the "Administrative Procedure"). The provisions of the
Administrative Procedure shall apply to all transactions contemplated
hereunder other than those made pursuant to a Terms Agreement. Each Agent
and the Company agree to perform the respective duties and obligations
specifically provided to be performed by each of them in the Administrative
Procedure. The Company will furnish to the Trustee a copy of the
Administrative Procedure as from time to time in effect.
The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to instruct
the Agents to suspend at any time, for any period of time or permanently,
the solicitation of offers to purchase the Securities. As soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than one business day in New York
City, after receipt of notice from the Company, the Agents will suspend
solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from the Company until such
time as the Company has advised the Agents that such solicitation may be
resumed. During such period, the Company shall not be required to comply
with the provisions of Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k). Upon advising
the Agents that such solicitation may be resumed, however, the Company
shall simultaneously provide the documents required to be delivered by
Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k), and the Agents shall have no obligation
to solicit offers to purchase the Securities until such documents have been
received by the Agents. In addition, any failure by the Company to comply
with its obligations hereunder, including without limitation its
obligations to deliver the documents required by Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j)
and 4(k), shall automatically terminate the Agents obligations hereunder,
including without limitation its obligations to solicit offers to purchase
the Securities hereunder as agent or to purchase Securities hereunder as
principal.
The Company agrees to pay each Agent a commission, at the time of
settlement of any sale of a Security by the Company as a result of a
solicitation made by such Agent (except a sale to an Agent pursuant to a
Terms Agreement), in an amount equal to the following applicable percentage
of the principal amount of such Security sold:
Commission
(percentage of
aggregate
principal amount
of Securities sold)
-------------------
Range of Maturities
-------------------
From 9 months to less than 1 year .125%
From 1 year to less than 18 months .150%
From 18 months to less than 2 years .200%
From 2 years to less than 3 years .250%
From 3 years to less than 4 years .350%
6
From 4 years to less than 5 years .450%
From 5 years to less than 6 years .500%
From 6 years to less than 7 years .550%
From 7 years to less than 10 years .600%
From 10 years to less than 15 years .625%
From 15 years to less than 20 years .675%
From 20 years to 30 years .750%
(b) Each sale of Securities to any Agent as principal shall be made
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and (unless the Company and
such Agent shall otherwise agree) a Terms Agreement which will provide for
the sale of such Securities to, and the purchase thereof by, such Agent; a
Terms Agreement may also specify certain provisions relating to the
reoffering of such Securities by such Agent; the commitment of any Agent to
purchase Securities as principal, whether pursuant to any Terms Agreement
or otherwise, shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the
representations and warranties of the Company herein contained and shall be
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth; each Terms Agreement
shall specify the principal amount of Securities to be purchased by any
Agent pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the Company for such
Securities, any provisions relating to rights of, and default by,
underwriters acting together with such Agent in the reoffering of the
Securities and the time and date and place of delivery of and payment for
such Securities; and such Terms Agreement shall also specify any
requirements for opinions of counsel, accountants' letters and officers'
certificates pursuant to Section 4 hereof. Each Agent proposes to offer
Securities purchased by it as principal for sale at prevailing market
prices or prices related thereto at the time of sale, which may be equal
to, greater than or less than the price at which such Securities are
purchased by such Agent from the Company.
For each sale of Securities to an Agent as principal that is not made
pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the procedural details relating to the issue
and delivery of such Securities and payment therefor shall be as set forth
in the Administrative Procedure. For each such sale of Securities to an
Agent as principal that is not made pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the
Company agrees to pay such Agent a commission (or grant an equivalent
discount) as provided in Section 2(a) hereof and in accordance with the
schedule set forth therein.
Each time and date of delivery of and payment for Securities to be
purchased by an Agent as principal, whether set forth in a Terms Agreement
or in accordance with the Administrative Procedure, is referred to herein
as a "Time of Delivery".
(c) Each Agent agrees, with respect to any Security denominated in a
currency other than U.S. dollars, as agent, directly or indirectly, not to
solicit offers to purchase, and as principal under any Terms Agreement or
otherwise, directly or indirectly, not to offer,
7
sell or deliver, such Security in, or to residents of, the country issuing
such currency, except as permitted by applicable law.
3. The documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6 hereof on
the Commencement Date (as defined below) shall be delivered to the Agents at the
offices of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, at
11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement, which date and
time of such delivery may be postponed by agreement between the Agents and the
Company but in no event shall be later than the day prior to the date on which
solicitation of offers to purchase Securities is commenced or on which any Terms
Agreement is executed (such time and date being referred to herein as the
"Commencement Date").
4. The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent:
(a) (i) To make no amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus after the date of any Terms Agreement or other
agreement by an Agent to purchase Securities as principal and prior to the
related Time of Delivery which shall be reasonably disapproved by any Agent
party to such Terms Agreement or so purchasing as principal promptly after
reasonable notice thereof; (ii) to prepare, with respect to any Securities
to be sold through or to such Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Pricing
Supplement with respect to such Securities in a form previously approved by
such Agent, to deliver to such Agent copies of such Pricing Supplement as
and when required by the Administrative Procedure and to file such Pricing
Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) under the Act not later than the
close of business of the Commission on the fifth business day after the
date on which such Pricing Supplement is first used; (iii) to make no
amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus (other
than any Pricing Supplement, or any periodic report filed pursuant to the
Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus) at any time
prior to having afforded each Agent a reasonable opportunity to review and
comment thereon; (iv) to file promptly with the Commission (with copies
sent to the Agents) all reports and any definitive proxy or information
statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant
to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as the
delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or
sale of the Securities, and during such same period to advise such Agent,
promptly after the Company receives notice thereof, of the time when any
amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or has become
effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus
(other than any Pricing Supplement that relates to Securities not purchased
through or by such Agent) has been filed with the Commission, of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or
suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Securities, of the
suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in
any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for
any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amendment or
supplement of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional
information relating thereto; and (v) in the event of the issuance of any
such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of
any such prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly
its reasonable efforts to obtain its withdrawal;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as such Agent may
reasonably request to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under
the securities laws of such jurisdictions as such Agent may request and to
comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings
therein for as long as may be necessary to complete the
8
distribution or sale of the Securities; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in
connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in
any jurisdiction;
(c) To furnish such Agent with copies of the Registration Statement
and each amendment thereto, with copies of the Prospectus as each time
amended or supplemented, other than any Pricing Supplement (except as
provided in the Administrative Procedure), in the form in which it is filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, and with copies of
the documents incorporated by reference therein, all in such quantities as
such Agent may reasonably request from time to time; and, if the delivery
of a prospectus is required at any time in connection with the offering or
sale of the Securities (including Securities purchased from the Company by
such Agent as principal) and if at such time any event shall have occurred
as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus
is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be
necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or
to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or the
Trust Indenture Act, to notify such Agent and request such Agent, in its
capacity as agent of the Company, to suspend solicitation of offers to
purchase Securities from the Company (and, if so notified, such Agent shall
cease such solicitations as soon as practicable, but in any event not later
than one business day later); and if the Company shall decide to amend or
supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or
supplemented, to so advise such Agent promptly by telephone (with
confirmation in writing) and to prepare and cause to be filed promptly with
the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if
during such same period such Agent continues to own Securities purchased
from the Company by such Agent as principal or such Agent is otherwise
required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions in the
Securities, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission
such an amendment or supplement;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c)
under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries
(which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the
option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) So long as any Securities are outstanding, to furnish to such
Agent copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other)
furnished to shareholders, and deliver to such Agent (i) as soon as they
are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to
or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which
any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional
information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company
as such Agent may from time to time reasonably request (such financial
statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the
Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its
shareholders generally or to the Commission);
9
(f) That, from the date of any Terms Agreement with such Agent or
other agreement by such Agent to purchase Securities as principal and
continuing to and including the later of (i) the termination of the trading
restrictions for the Securities purchased thereunder, as notified to the
Company by such Agent and (ii) the related Time of Delivery, not to offer,
sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the
Company which both mature more than 9 months after such Time of Delivery
and are substantially similar to the Securities, without the prior written
consent of such Agent;
(g) That each acceptance by the Company of an offer to purchase
Securities hereunder (including any purchase by such Agent as principal not
pursuant to a Terms Agreement), and each execution and delivery by the
Company of a Terms Agreement with such Agent, shall be deemed to be an
affirmation to such Agent that the representations and warranties of the
Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and
correct as of the date of such acceptance or of such Terms Agreement, as
the case may be, as though made at and as of such date, and an undertaking
that such representations and warranties will be true and correct as of the
settlement date for the Securities relating to such acceptance or as of the
Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, as though made
at and as of such date (except that such representations and warranties
shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
as amended and supplemented relating to such Securities);
(h) That reasonably in advance of each time the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by
a Pricing Supplement) and for this purpose not to include an amendment or
supplement deemed to occur hereunder upon the filing of any document by the
Company under the Exchange Act and each time the Company sells Securities
to such Agent as principal pursuant to a Terms Agreement and such Terms
Agreement specifies the delivery of an opinion or opinions by Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx, counsel to the Agents, as a condition to the purchase of
Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company shall furnish to
such counsel such papers and information as they may reasonably request to
enable them to furnish to such Agent the opinion or opinions referred to in
Section 6(b) hereof;
(i) That each time the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall
be amended or supplemented (other than by a Pricing Supplement), each time
a document filed under the Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus and each time the Company sells Securities to
such Agent as principal pursuant to a Terms Agreement and such Terms
Agreement specifies the delivery of an opinion under this Section 4(i) as a
condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement,
the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to such Agent
a written opinion of Xxxx X. XxXxxxx, Senior Vice President, General
Counsel and Secretary of the Company or other counsel for the Company
satisfactory to such Agent, dated the date of such amendment, supplement,
incorporation or Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may
be, in form satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect that such Agent may
rely on the opinion of Xxxx X. XxXxxxx referred to in Section 6(c) hereof
which was last furnished to such Agent to the same extent as though it were
dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that the
statements in such last opinion shall be deemed to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to
such date) or, in lieu of such opinion, an opinion of the same tenor as the
opinion of such counsel referred to in Section 6(c) hereof but modified to
relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and
supplemented to such date;
10
(j) That each time the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall
be amended or supplemented and each time that a document filed under the
Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus,
in either case to set forth financial information included in or derived
from the Company's consolidated financial statements or accounting records,
and each time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal
pursuant to a Terms Agreement and such Terms Agreement specifies the
delivery of a letter under this Section 4(j) as a condition to the purchase
of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company shall cause the
independent certified public accountants who have certified the financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement forthwith to furnish such Agent a
letter, dated the date of such amendment, supplement, incorporation or Time
of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, in form satisfactory
to such Agent, of the same tenor as the letter referred to in Section 6(d)
hereof but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented to the date of such letter, with such
changes as may be necessary to reflect changes in the financial statements
and other information derived from the accounting records of the Company,
to the extent such financial statements and other information are available
as of a date not more than five business days prior to the date of such
letter; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, with respect to any financial information
or other matter, such letter may reconfirm as true and correct at such date
as though made at and as of such date, rather than repeat, statements with
respect to such financial information or other matter made in the letter
referred to in Section 6(d) hereof which was last furnished to such Agent;
(k) That each time the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall
be amended or supplemented (other than by a Pricing Supplement), each time
a document filed under the Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus and each time the Company sells Securities to
such Agent as principal and the applicable Terms Agreement specifies the
delivery of a certificate under this Section 4(k) as a condition to the
purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company shall
furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to such Agent a certificate,
dated the date of such supplement, amendment, incorporation or Time of
Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, in such form and
executed by such officers of the Company as shall be satisfactory to such
Agent, to the effect that the statements contained in the certificates
referred to in Section 6(i) hereof which were last furnished to such Agent
are true and correct at such date as though made at and as of such date
(except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date) or,
in lieu of such certificate, certificates of the same tenor as the
certificates referred to in said Section 6(i) but modified to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to
such date; and
(l) To offer to any person who has agreed to purchase Securities from
the Company as the result of an offer to purchase solicited by such Agent
the right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Securities if, on the
related settlement date fixed pursuant to the Administrative Procedure, any
condition set forth in Section 6(a), 6(e), 6(f) or 6(g) hereof shall not
have been satisfied (it being understood that the judgment of such person
with respect to the impracticability or inadvisability of such purchase of
Securities shall be substituted, for purposes of this Section 4(l), for the
respective judgments of an Agent with respect to certain matters referred
to in such Sections 6(e) and 6(g), and that such Agent shall have no duty
or obligation whatsoever to exercise the judgment permitted under such
Sections 6(e) and 6(g) on behalf of any such person).
11
5. The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent that the Company will
pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses
of the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of
the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the
preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus and any Pricing Supplements and all other amendments
and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to such
Agent; (ii) the reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel for the
Agents in connection with the establishment of the program contemplated hereby,
any opinions to be rendered by such counsel hereunder and under any Terms
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereunder and under any Terms
Agreement; (iii) the cost of printing, producing or reproducing this Agreement,
any Terms Agreement, any Indenture, any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda,
closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents
in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities;
(iv) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for
offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 4(b)
hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in
connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and legal
investment surveys; (v) any fees charged by securities rating services for
rating the Securities; (vi) any filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with, any required
review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of
the sale of the Securities; (vii) the cost of preparing the Securities; (viii)
the fees and expenses of any Trustee and any agent of any Trustee and any
transfer or paying agent of the Company and the fees and disbursements of
counsel for any Trustee or such agent in connection with any Indenture and the
Securities; (ix) any advertising expenses connected with the solicitation of
offers to purchase and the sale of Securities so long as such advertising
expenses have been approved by the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses
incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise
specifically provided for in this Section. Except as provided in Sections 7 and
8 hereof, each Agent shall pay all other expenses it incurs.
6. The obligation of any Agent, as agent of the Company, at any time
("Solicitation Time") to solicit offers to purchase the Securities and the
obligation of any Agent to purchase Securities as principal, pursuant to any
Terms Agreement or otherwise, shall in each case be subject, in such Agent's
discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other
statements of the Company herein (and, in the case of an obligation of an Agent
under a Terms Agreement, in or incorporated by reference in such Terms
Agreement) are true and correct at and as of the Commencement Date and any
applicable date referred to in Section 4(k) hereof that is prior to such
Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, and at and as of such
Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the condition that
prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the
Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be
performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) (i) With respect to any Securities sold at or prior to such
Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented (including the Pricing Supplement) with respect
to such Securities shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for
such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance
with Section 4(a) hereof; (ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceeding for
that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and
(iii) all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission
shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of such Agent;
12
(b) Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, counsel to the Agents, shall have furnished
to such Agent (i) such opinion or opinions, dated the Commencement Date,
with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of the
Indenture, the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented and other related matters as such Agent may
reasonably request, and (ii) if and to the extent requested by such Agent,
with respect to each applicable date referred to in Section 4(h) hereof
that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the
case may be, an opinion or opinions, dated such applicable date, to the
effect that such Agent may rely on the opinion or opinions which were last
furnished to such Agent pursuant to this Section 6(b) to the same extent as
though it or they were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance
(except that the statements in such last opinion or opinions shall be
deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as
amended and supplemented to such date) or, in any case, in lieu of such an
opinion or opinions, an opinion or opinions of the same tenor as the
opinion or opinions referred to in clause (i) but modified to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to
such date; and in each case such counsel shall have received such papers
and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon
such matters;
(c) Xxxxxx & Whitney, counsel for the Company, or other counsel for
the Company reasonably satisfactory to such Agent, shall have furnished to
such Agent their written opinion, dated the Commencement Date, in form and
substance satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect that:
(i) The Securities have been duly authorized and, when duly
executed, authenticated, issued and delivered by the Company and paid
for, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company
entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; except to the
extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by (a) bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other
similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting
creditors' rights generally and (b) general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at
law or in equity); and the Indenture conforms and the Securities will
conform to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented;
(ii) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding
instrument of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms,
except to the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by (a)
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization,
moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating
to or affecting creditors' rights generally and (b) general principles
of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a
proceeding at law or in equity); and the Indenture has been duly
qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;
(iii) The issue and sale of the Securities, the compliance by
the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the
Indenture, this Agreement and any applicable Terms Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will
not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the
terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or
instrument known to such counsel pursuant to which the Company has
indebtedness outstanding and which is
13
material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, nor
will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
Articles of Incorporation, as amended, of the Company or the By-laws
of the Company or any law of the United States or the State of
Minnesota, any rule or regulation of any governmental authority or
regulatory body of the United States or the State of Minnesota, or any
judgment, order or decree known to such counsel and applicable to the
Company of any court, governmental authority or arbitrator;
(iv) No consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any court or governmental
agency or body is required to be obtained or made by the Company for
the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities, the issue and sale
of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any applicable Terms
Agreement, or the Indenture, except such as have been obtained under
the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals,
authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required
under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the
solicitation by the Agents of offers to purchase Securities from the
Company and with purchases of Securities by an Agent as principal, as
the case may be, in each case in the manner contemplated hereby;
(v) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
captions "Description of Debt Securities" and "Description of Notes",
insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the
Securities, under the caption "United States Taxation", and under the
captions "Plan of Distribution" and "Supplemental Plan of
Distribution", insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of
the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate in all
material respects;
Xxxx X. XxXxxxx, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
Secretary of the Company, or other counsel for the Company reasonably
satisfactory to such Agent, shall have furnished to such Agent their
written opinions, dated the Commencement Date and each applicable date
referred to in Section 4(i) hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation
Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, in form and substance
satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Minnesota, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented;
(ii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as
set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings
pending to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a
party or to which any property of the Company or any of its Significant
Subsidiaries is subject which would individually or in the aggregate
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the current or
future consolidated financial position, shareholders' equity or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and to the
best of such counsel's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened by
governmental authorities or others;
14
(iii) This Agreement and any applicable Terms Agreement have been
duly authorized by all requisite corporate action, executed and delivered
by the Company;
(iv) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
(other than the financial statements, related schedules and other financial
data therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they
became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be,
complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder; and although such counsel does not assume any
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in any of such documents, nothing has come to such counsel's
attention that causes such counsel to believe that any of such documents
(other than the financial statements, related schedules and other financial
data therein, as to which such counsel need make no statement), when they
became effective or were so filed, as the case may be, contained, in the
case of a registration statement which became effective under the Act, an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, and, in the case of other documents which were filed under
the Act or the Exchange Act with the Commission, an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made when such documents were so filed, not misleading; and
(v) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as
amended and supplemented and any further amendments and supplements thereto
made by the Company prior to the date of such opinion (other than the
financial statements, related schedules and other financial data therein,
as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all
material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; although such counsel does
not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of
the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
nothing has come to such counsel's attention that causes such counsel to
believe that, as of its effective date, the Registration Statement or any
further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the
date of such opinion (other than the financial statements, related
schedules and other financial data therein, as to which such counsel need
make no statement) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading or that, as of the date of
such opinion, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any further
amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the date of
such opinion (other than the financial statements, related schedules and
other financial data therein, as to which such counsel need make no
statement) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading; and such counsel
does not know of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be
filed or any contracts or other documents of a character required to be
filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
or required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus as amended
15
or supplemented which are not filed or incorporated by reference or
described as required;
(d) Not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the
Commencement Date and on each applicable date referred to in Section 4(j)
hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery,
as the case may be, the independent certified public accountants who have
certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall
have furnished to such Agent a letter, dated the Commencement Date or such
applicable date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to
such Agent, to the effect set forth in Annex III hereto;
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries
shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing Supplement
relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant Time of Delivery
any loss or interference with its business taken as a whole from fire,
explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or
from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree,
otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing Supplement relating to the
Securities to be delivered at the relevant Time of Delivery and (ii) since
the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing Supplement
relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant Time of Delivery
there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt
of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any change, or any
development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the financial
position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented prior to the date
of the Pricing Supplement relating to the Securities to be delivered at the
relevant Time of Delivery, the effect of which, in any such case described
in Clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of such Agent so material and
adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
solicitation by such Agent of offers to purchase Securities from the
Company or the purchase by such Agent of Securities from the Company as
principal, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated
in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented prior to the date of the
Pricing Supplement relating to the Securities to be delivered at the
relevant Time of Delivery;
(f) (i) With respect to the obligation of any Agent, as agent of the
Company, at any time to solicit offers to purchase the Securities, on or
after the date hereof no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating
accorded the Company's debt securities by any "nationally recognized
statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the Commission
for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, the effect of which is in the
judgment of such Agent so material and adverse as to make it impracticable
or inadvisable to proceed with the solicitation by such Agent of offers to
purchase Securities from the Company on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(ii) With respect to any obligation to purchase Securities on the
related settlement date fixed pursuant to the Administrative Procedure,
pursuant to any Terms Agreement or otherwise, on or after the date of the
acceptance of an offer by the Company
16
(y) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company's
debt securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating
organization", as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of
Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (z) no such organization shall have
publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible
negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities;
(g) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of
the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or
material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on the New York
Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities
in New York declared by either Federal or New York State authorities; or
(iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States
or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, if
the effect of any such event specified in this Clause (iv) in the judgment
of such Agent makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
solicitation of offers to purchase Securities or the purchase of the
Securities from the Company as principal pursuant to the applicable Terms
Agreement or otherwise, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus;
(h) With respect to any Security denominated in a currency other than
the U.S. dollar, more than one currency or a composite currency or any
Security the principal or interest of which is indexed to such currency,
currencies or composite currency, but not with respect to any Security or
Securities not so denominated, there shall not have occurred a suspension
or material limitation in foreign exchange trading in such currency,
currencies or composite currency by a major international bank, a general
moratorium on commercial banking activities in the country or countries
issuing such currency, currencies or composite currency, the outbreak or
escalation of hostilities involving, the occurrence of any material adverse
change in the existing financial, political or economic conditions of, or
the declaration of war or a national emergency by, the country or countries
issuing such currency, currencies or composite currency or the imposition
or proposal of exchange controls by any governmental authority in the
country or countries issuing such currency, currencies or composite
currency; and
(i) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to
such Agent certificates of officers of the Company dated the Commencement
Date and each applicable date referred to in Section 4(k) hereof that is on
or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be,
in such form and executed by such officers of the Company as shall be
satisfactory to such Agent, as to the accuracy of the representations and
warranties of the Company herein at and as of the Commencement Date or such
applicable date, as the case may be, as to the performance by the Company
of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to the
Commencement Date or such applicable date, as the case may be, as to the
matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section 6, and as to
such other matters as such Agent may reasonably request.
7. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Agent against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such
Agent may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented or any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out
17
of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse such Agent for any
legal or other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by it in
connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such
expenses are incurred; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be
liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented or any other prospectus relating to the Securities,
or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by such Agent expressly
for use therein.
(b) Each Agent will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become
subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are
based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other
prospectus relating to the Securities, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent,
but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented or any other prospectus relating to the Securities,
or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by such Agent expressly
for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other out-
of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection
(a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made
against the indemnifying party under such subsection, promptly notify the
indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission
so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability
which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such
subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any
indemnified party and it shall so notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any
other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof,
with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall
not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the
indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such
indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the
indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such
subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other out-of-
pocket expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified
party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs
of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent
of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or
consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or
threatened action or claim against an indemnified party in respect of which
indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether
18
or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action
or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an
unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising
out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or
an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of
any indemnified party; PROVIDED that for purposes of this sentence a
written consent given by any indemnified party shall be deemed to have been
given on behalf of, and shall bind, itself and any controlling person of
such indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and each Agent on the other from the offering of the Securities to
which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof)
relates. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding
sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party
failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only
such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the
one hand and each Agent on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and each Agent on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of Securities (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions
or discounts received by such Agent in respect thereof. The relative fault
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading relates to
information supplied by the Company on the one hand or by any Agent on the
other, the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission, and whether
the indemnifying party was harmed by any failure of the indemnified party
to give a notice required hereunder. The Company and each Agent agree that
it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this
subsection (d) were determined by PER CAPITA allocation (even if all Agents
were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities
(or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d)
shall be deemed to include any legal or other out-of-pocket expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this subsection (d), an Agent shall not be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total public
offering price at which the Securities purchased by or through it were sold
exceeds the amount of any damages which such Agent has otherwise been
required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The obligations of each of the Agents under
this subsection (d) to contribute are several in
19
proportion to the respective purchases made by or through it to which such
losses, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates
and are not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall
extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who
controls any Agent within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of
each Agent under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability which
such Agent may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and
conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each person,
if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
8. Each Agent, in soliciting offers to purchase Securities from the
Company and in performing the other obligations of such Agent hereunder (other
than in respect of any purchase by an Agent as principal, pursuant to a Terms
Agreement or otherwise), is acting solely as agent for the Company and not as
principal. Each Agent will make reasonable efforts to assist the Company in
obtaining performance by each purchaser whose offer to purchase Securities from
the Company was solicited by such Agent and has been accepted by the Company,
but such Agent shall not have any liability to the Company in the event such
purchase is not consummated for any reason. If the Company shall default on its
obligation to deliver Securities to a purchaser whose offer it has accepted, the
Company shall (i) hold each Agent harmless against any loss, claim or damage
arising from or as a result of such default by the Company and (ii)
notwithstanding such default, pay to the Agent that solicited such offer any
commission to which it would be entitled in connection with such sale.
9. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements by any Agent and the Company set forth in or made pursuant
to this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Agent or any controlling person of any Agent, or the Company, or any
officer or director or any controlling person of the Company, and shall survive
each delivery of and payment for any of the Securities.
10. The provisions of this Agreement relating to the solicitation of
offers to purchase Securities from the Company may be suspended or terminated at
any time by the Company as to any Agent or by any Agent as to such Agent upon
the giving of written notice of such suspension or termination to such Agent or
the Company, as the case may be. In the event of such suspension or termination
with respect to any Agent, (x) this Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect with respect to any Agent as to which such suspension or termination has
not occurred, (y) this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect with
respect to the rights and obligations of any party which have previously accrued
or which relate to Securities which are already issued, agreed to be issued or
the subject of a pending offer at the time of such suspension or termination and
(z) in any event, this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect insofar
as the fourth paragraph of Section 2(a), and Sections 4(d), 4(e), 5, 7, 8 and 9
hereof are concerned.
11. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or in the
Administrative Procedure, all statements, requests, notices and advice hereunder
shall be in writing, or by telephone if promptly confirmed in writing, and if to
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. shall be sufficient in all respects when delivered or sent
by facsimile transmission or registered mail to 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000, Facsimile Transmission No. (000) 000-0000, Attention: Credit
Department, Credit Control -- Medium-Term Notes and if to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co.
Incorporated shall be sufficient in all respects when delivered or sent by
facsimile transmission or registered mail to 1585
00
Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Facsimile Transmission No. (212)
761-0780, Attention: Manager -- Continuously Offered Products, with a copy to
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX
00000, Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Investment Banking Information Center,
Facsimile Transmission No. (000) 000-0000, and if to the Company shall be
sufficient in all respects when delivered or sent by facsimile transmission or
registered mail to 0000 Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx X, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000,
Facsimile Transmission No. (000) 000-0000, Attention: Treasurer.
12. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be binding upon, and
inure solely to the benefit of, each Agent and the Company, and to the extent
provided in Sections 7, 8 and 9 hereof, the officers and directors of the
Company and any person who controls any Agent or the Company, and their
respective personal representatives, successors and assigns, and no other person
shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement or any
Terms Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities through or from any
Agent hereunder shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such
purchase.
13. Time shall be of the essence in this Agreement and any Terms
Agreement. As used herein, the term "business day" shall mean any day when the
Commission's office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.
14. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY TERMS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
15. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be executed by any one or
more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be an original, but all of such respective counterparts shall
together constitute one and the same instrument.
21
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us 5 counterparts hereof, whereupon this letter and the acceptance by
each of you thereof shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and
each of you in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
Deluxe Corporation
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
----------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Accepted in New York, New York,
as of the date hereof:
/s/ Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.
--------------------------
(Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.)
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------
Title: Vice President
-----------------
22
ANNEX I
DELUXE CORPORATION
MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, SERIES A
TERMS AGREEMENT
, 19
--------------- --
[XXXXXXX, SACHS & CO.,
00 XXXXX XXXXXX,
XXX XXXX, XXX XXXX 00000.]
[XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
0000 XXXXXX XX XXX XXXXXXXX
XXX XXXX, XXX XXXX 00000.]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Deluxe Corporation (the "Company") proposes, subject to the terms and
conditions stated herein and in the Distribution Agreement, dated October 27,
1995 (the "Distribution Agreement"), between the Company on the one hand and
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated (the "Agents") on the
other, to issue and sell to [NAME(s) OF AGENT(s)] the securities specified in
the Schedule hereto (the "Purchased Securities"). Each of the provisions of the
Distribution Agreement not specifically related to the solicitation by the
Agents, as agents of the Company, of offers to purchase Securities is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be part
of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set
forth in full herein. Nothing contained herein or in the Distribution Agreement
shall make any party hereto an agent of the Company or make such party subject
to the provisions therein relating to the solicitation of offers to purchase
Securities from the Company, solely by virtue of its execution of this Terms
Agreement. Each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall
be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Terms Agreement,
except that each representation and warranty in Section 1 of the Distribution
Agreement which makes reference to the Prospectus shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty as of the date of the Distribution Agreement in
relation to the Prospectus (as therein defined), and also a representation and
warranty as of the date of this Terms Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as
amended and supplemented to relate to the Purchased Securities.
An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Securities, in the
form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the
Commission.
I-1
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Distribution Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to [NAME(S) OF AGENT(S)] and [NAME(S) OF AGENT(S)] agree[S] to
purchase from the Company the Purchased Securities, at the time and place, in
the principal amount and at the purchase price set forth in the Schedule hereto.
I-2
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us ...... counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you this
letter and such acceptance hereof, including those provisions of the
Distribution Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a
binding agreement between you and the Company.
Deluxe Corporation
By:
-------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted:
[
-------------------------------
(XXXXXXX, SACHS & CO.)]
[XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
BY:
----------------------------
NAME:
TITLE:]
I-3
SCHEDULE TO ANNEX I
TITLE OF PURCHASED SECURITIES:
[ %] MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, SERIES A
AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT:
[____________________$ OR UNITS OF OTHER SPECIFIED CURRENCY]
[PRICE TO PUBLIC:]
PURCHASE PRICE BY [NAME(S) OF AGENT(S)]:
% of the principal amount of the Purchased Securities[, PLUS ACCRUED
INTEREST FROM _______________ TO _______________] [AND ACCRUED AMORTIZATION, IF
ANY, FROM _________________ TO ________________]
METHOD OF AND SPECIFIED FUNDS FOR PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE:
[BY CERTIFIED OR OFFICIAL BANK CHECK OR CHECKS, PAYABLE TO THE ORDER OF THE
COMPANY, IN [[NEW YORK] CLEARING HOUSE] [IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE] FUNDS]
[BY WIRE TRANSFER TO A BANK ACCOUNT SPECIFIED BY THE COMPANY IN [NEXT DAY]
[IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE] FUNDS]
INDENTURE:
Indenture, dated as of October 27, 1995, between the Company and Norwest
Bank Minnesota, National Association, as Trustee
TIME OF DELIVERY:
CLOSING LOCATION FOR DELIVERY OF SECURITIES:
MATURITY:
INTEREST RATE:
[ %]
INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:
[MONTHS AND DATES]
I-4
DOCUMENTS TO BE DELIVERED:
The following documents referred to in the Distribution Agreement shall be
delivered as a condition to the Closing:
[(1) THE OPINION OR OPINIONS OF COUNSEL TO THE AGENTS REFERRED TO IN
SECTION 4(h).]
[(2) THE OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY REFERRED TO IN SECTION 4(i).]
[(3) THE ACCOUNTANTS' LETTER REFERRED TO IN SECTION 4(j).]
[(4) THE OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE REFERRED TO IN SECTION 4(k).]
OTHER PROVISIONS (INCLUDING SYNDICATE PROVISIONS, IF APPLICABLE):
I-5
ANNEX II
DELUXE CORPORATION
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
This Administrative Procedure relates to the Securities defined in the
Distribution Agreement, dated October 27, 1995 (the "Distribution Agreement"),
between Deluxe Corporation (the "Company") and Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated (together, the "Agents"), to which this
Administrative Procedure is attached as Annex II. Defined terms used herein and
not defined herein shall have the meanings given such terms in the Distribution
Agreement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or the Indenture. To the
extent any procedure set forth below conflicts with the provisions of the
Securities, the Indenture or the Distribution Agreement, the relevant provisions
of the Securities, the Indenture or the Distribution Agreement, as the case may
be, shall control.
The procedures to be followed with respect to the settlement of sales of
Securities directly by the Company to purchasers solicited by an Agent, as
agent, are set forth below. The terms and settlement details related to a
purchase of Securities by an Agent, as principal, from the Company will be set
forth in a Terms Agreement pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, unless the
Company and such Agent otherwise agree as provided in Section 2(b) of the
Distribution Agreement, in which case the procedures to be followed in respect
of the settlement of such sale will be as set forth below. An Agent, in
relation to a purchase of a Security by a purchaser solicited by such Agent, is
referred to herein as the "Selling Agent" and, in relation to a purchase of a
Security by such Agent as principal other than pursuant to a Terms Agreement, as
the "Purchasing Agent".
The Company will advise each Agent in writing of those persons with whom
such Agent is to communicate regarding offers to purchase Securities and the
related settlement details.
Each Security will be issued only in fully registered form and will be
represented by either a global security (a "Global Security") delivered to the
Trustee, as agent for The Depository Trust Company (the "Depositary") and
recorded in the book-entry system maintained by the Depositary (a "Book-Entry
Security") or a certificate issued in definitive form (a "Certificated
Security") delivered to a person designated by an Agent, as set forth in the
applicable Pricing Supplement. An owner of a Book-Entry Security will not be
entitled to receive a certificate representing such a Security, except as
provided in the Indenture.
Book-Entry Securities will be issued in accordance with the Administrative
Procedure set forth in Part I hereof, and Certificated Securities will be issued
in accordance with the Administrative Procedure set forth in Part II hereof.
PART I: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR BOOK-ENTRY SECURITIES
In connection with the qualification of the Book-Entry Securities for
eligibility in the book-entry system maintained by the Depositary, the Trustee
will perform the custodial, document control and administrative functions
described below, in accordance with its respective obligations
II-1
under a Letter of Representation from the Company and the Trustee to the
Depositary, dated the date hereof, and a Medium-Term Note Certificate Agreement
between the Trustee and the Depositary, dated as of May 14, 1991, as amended on
October 27, 1995 (the "Certificate Agreement"), and its obligations as a
participant in the Depositary, including the Depositary's Same-Day Funds
Settlement System ("SDFS").
POSTING RATES BY THE COMPANY:
The Company and the Agents will discuss from time to time the rates of
interest per annum to be borne by and the maturity of Book-Entry Securities that
may be sold as a result of the solicitation of offers by an Agent. The Company
may establish a fixed set of interest rates and maturities for an offering
period ("posting"). If the Company decides to change already posted rates, it
will promptly advise the Agents to suspend solicitation of offers until the new
posted rates have been established with the Agents.
ACCEPTANCE OF OFFERS BY THE COMPANY:
Each Agent will promptly advise the Company by telephone or other
appropriate means of all reasonable offers to purchase Book-Entry Securities,
other than those rejected by such Agent. Each Agent may, in its discretion
reasonably exercised, reject any offer received by it in whole or in part. Each
Agent also may make offers to the Company to purchase Book-Entry Securities as a
Purchasing Agent. The Company will have the sole right to accept offers to
purchase Book-Entry Securities and may reject any such offer in whole or in
part.
The Company will promptly notify the Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case
may be, of its acceptance or rejection of an offer to purchase Book-Entry
Securities. If the Company accepts an offer to purchase Book-Entry Securities,
it will confirm such acceptance in writing to the Selling Agent or Purchasing
Agent, as the case may be, and the Trustee.
INTEREST:
Interest on Book-Entry Securities will accrue and will be paid at the times
and in the manner consistent with the descriptions thereof in the Company's
Prospectus Supplement dated October 27, 1995 to the Prospectus dated September
22, 1995 (the "Prospectus") and the applicable Pricing Supplement thereto.
EXCHANGES:
The Trustee, at the Company's request, may deliver to DTC and the CUSIP
Service Bureau at any time a written notice of consolidation specifying (a) the
CUSIP numbers of two or more Global Securities outstanding on such date that
represent (i) Fixed-Rate Book-Entry Notes having the same terms (other than
Settlement Dates) or (ii) Floating Rate Book-Entry Securities having the same
terms (other than Settlement Dates); (b) a date, at least 30 days after such
written notice is delivered and at least 30 days before the next Interest
Payment Date for the related Book-Entry Notes, on which such Global Security
shall be exchanged for a single replacement Global Security; and (c) a new CUSIP
number to be assigned to such replacement Global Security. Upon receipt of such
a notice, DTC will send to its participants (including the Trustee) a written
reorganization
II-2
notice to the effect that such exchange will occur on such date. Prior to the
specified exchange date,the Trustee will deliver to the CUSIP Service Bureau
written notice setting forth such exchange date and the new CUSIP number and
stating that, as of such exchange date, the CUSIP numbers of the Global
Securities to be exchanged will no longer be valid. On the specified exchange
date, the Trustee will exchange such Global Securities and the old CUSIP numbers
for a single Global Security bearing the new CUSIP number. The CUSIP numbers of
the exchanged Global Securities will, in accordance with CUSIP Service Bureau
procedures, be canceled and not immediately reassigned. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if the Global Securities to be exchanged exceed $150,000,000 in
aggregate principal amount, one replacement Security will be authenticated and
issued to represent each $150,000,000 of principal amount of the exchanged
Global Securities and an additional Global Note will be authenticated and issued
to represent any remaining principal amount of such Global Securities.
MANNER OF PAYMENT:
The total amount of principal, premium if any, and interest due on a Global
Security on any Interest Payment Date or at maturity or upon redemption or
repayment shall be paid by the Company to the Trustee in funds available for use
by the Trustee on such date. The Company will make payment on such Global
Security by depositing funds sufficient to make such payment with the Trustee.
The Company will confirm such instructions in writing to the Trustee. For
payments of principal and any premium at maturity or upon redemption or
repayment prior to 10 a.m. (New York City time) on such date or as soon as
possible thereafter, the Trustee will pay the Depositary by separate wire
transfer (using Fedwire message entry instructions in a form previously
specified by the Depositary) to an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York previously specified by the Depositary, in funds available for immediate
use by the Depositary, each payment of interest, premium, if any, or principal
(together with interest thereon) due on a Global Security on such date. For
payments of interest, the Trustee will pay the Depositary such payments in same-
day funds on each Interest Payment Date in accordance with existing arrangements
between the Trustee and the Depositary. Thereafter for all payments on such
date, the Depositary will pay, in accordance with SDFS operating procedures then
in effect, such amounts in funds available for immediate use to the respective
participants with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective holdings
in principal amount of beneficial interest in such Global Security as are
recorded in the book-entry system maintained by the Depositary. Neither the
Company nor the Trustee shall have any direct responsibility or liability for
the payment by the Depositary of any principal, premium or interest on Book-
Entry Securities to such participants.
COMMUNICATION OF SALE INFORMATION TO THE COMPANY BY AGENT AND SETTLEMENT
PROCEDURES:
A. After the acceptance of an offer by the Company, the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, will communicate promptly, but in no event
later than the time set forth under "Settlement Procedure Timetable" below, the
following details of the terms of such offer (the "Sale Information") to the
Company by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile transmission or
other acceptable written means:
(1) Principal Amount of Book-Entry Securities to be purchased;
(2) If a Fixed Rate Book-Entry Security, the interest rate and initial
interest payment date;
II-3
(3) Trade Date;
(4) Settlement Date;
(5) Maturity Date;
(6) Specified Currency and, if the Specified Currency is other than
U.S. dollars, the applicable Exchange Rate for such Specified Currency
(it being understood that currently the Depositary accepts deposits of
Global Securities denominated in U.S. dollars only);
(7) Indexed Currency, the Base Rate and the Exchange Rate Determination
Date, if applicable;
(8) Issue Price;
(9) Selling Agent's commission or Purchasing Agent's discount, as the case
may be;
(10) Net Proceeds to the Company;
(11) If a redeemable Book-Entry Security, such of the following as are
applicable:
(i) Redemption Commencement Date,
(ii) Initial Redemption Price (% of par), and
(iii) Amount (% of par) that the Redemption Price shall decline
(but not below par) on each anniversary of the Redemption
Commencement Date;
(12) If a Floating Rate Book-Entry Security, such of the following as are
applicable:
(i) Interest Rate Basis,
(ii) Index Maturity,
(iii) Spread or Spread Multiplier,
(iv) Maximum Rate,
(v) Minimum Rate,
(vi) Initial Interest Rate,
(vii) Interest Reset Dates,
(viii) Calculation Dates,
II-4
(ix) Interest Determination Dates,
(x) Interest Payment Dates,
(xi) Regular Record Dates, and
(xii) Calculation Agent;
(13) Name, address and taxpayer identification number of the registered
owner(s);
(14) Denomination of certificates to be delivered at settlement;
(15) Book-Entry Security or Certificated Security; and
(16) Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent.
B. After receiving the Sale Information from the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, the Company will communicate such Sale
Information to the Trustee by facsimile transmission or other acceptable written
means. The Company will assign a CUSIP number to the Global Security from a
list of CUSIP numbers previously obtained by the Company representing such
Book-Entry Security and then advise the Trustee and the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, of such CUSIP number.
C. The Trustee will enter a pending deposit message through the
Depositary's Participant Terminal System, providing the following settlement
information to the Depositary, and the Depositary shall forward such information
to such Agent and Standard & Poor's Corporation:
(1) The applicable Sale Information;
(2) CUSIP number of the Global Security representing such Book-Entry
Security;
(3) Whether such Global Security will represent any other Book-Entry
Security (to the extent known at such time);
(4) Number of the participant account maintained by the Depositary on
behalf of the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be;
(5) The interest payment period; and
(6) Initial Interest Payment Date for such Book-Entry Security, number of
days by which such date succeeds the record date for the Depositary's
purposes (or, in the case of Floating Rate Securities which reset
daily or weekly, the date five calendar days immediately preceding the
applicable Interest Payment Date and, in the case of all other
Book-Entry Securities, the Regular Record Date, as defined in the
Security) and, if calculable at that time, the amount of interest
payable on such Interest Payment Date.
II-5
D. The Trustee will complete and authenticate the Global Security
previously delivered by the Company representing such Book-Entry Security.
E. The Depositary will credit such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee's
participant account at the Depositary.
F. The Trustee will enter an SDFS deliver order through the Depositary's
Participant Terminal System instructing the Depositary to (i) debit such
Book-Entry Security to the Trustee's participant account and credit such
Book-Entry Security to such Agent's participant account and (ii) debit such
Agent's settlement account and credit the Trustee's settlement account for an
amount equal to the price of such Book-Entry Security less such Agent's
commission. The entry of such a deliver order shall constitute a representation
and warranty by the Trustee to the Depositary that (a) the Global Security
representing such Book-Entry Security has been issued and authenticated and (b)
the Trustee is holding such Global Security pursuant to the Certificate
Agreement.
G. Such Agent will enter an SDFS deliver order through the Depositary's
Participant Terminal System instructing the Depositary (i) to debit such
Book-Entry Security to such Agent's participant account and credit such
Book-Entry Security to the participant accounts of the Participants with respect
to such Book-Entry Security and (ii) to debit the settlement accounts of such
Participants and credit the settlement account of such Agent for an amount equal
to the price of such Book-Entry Security.
H. Transfers of funds in accordance with SDFS deliver orders described in
Settlement Procedures "F" and "G" will be settled in accordance with SDFS
operating procedures in effect on the settlement date.
I. Upon confirmation of receipt of funds, the Trustee will transfer to
the account of the Company maintained at First Bank Minnesota, N.A.,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, or such other account as the Company may have previously
specified to the Trustee, in funds available for immediate use in the amount
transferred to the Trustee in accordance with Settlement Procedure "F".
J. Upon request, the Trustee will send to the Company a statement setting
forth the principal amount of Book-Entry Securities outstanding as of that date
under the Indenture.
K. Such Agent will confirm the purchase of such Book-Entry Security to
the purchaser either by transmitting to the Participants with respect to such
Book-Entry Security a confirmation order or orders through the Depositary's
institutional delivery system or by mailing a written confirmation to such
purchaser.
L. The Depositary will, at any time, upon request of the Company or the
Trustee, promptly furnish to the Company or the Trustee a list of the names and
addresses of the participants for whom the Depositary has credited Book-Entry
Securities.
II-6
PREPARATION OF PRICING SUPPLEMENT:
If the Company accepts an offer to purchase a Book-Entry Security, it will
prepare a Pricing Supplement reflecting the terms of such Book-Entry Security
and arrange to have delivered to the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the
case may be, at least ten copies of such Pricing Supplement, not later than 5:00
p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day following the Trade Date (as
defined below), or if the Company and the purchaser agree to settlement on the
Business Day following the date of acceptance of such offer, not later than
noon, New York City time, on such date. The Company will arrange to have ten
Pricing Supplements filed with the Commission not later than the close of
business of the Commission on the fifth Business Day following the date on which
such Pricing Supplement is first used.
DELIVERY OF CONFIRMATION AND PROSPECTUS TO PURCHASER BY SELLING AGENT:
The Selling Agent will deliver to the purchaser of a Book-Entry Security a
written confirmation of the sale and delivery and payment instructions. In
addition, the Selling Agent will deliver to such purchaser or its agent the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the Pricing Supplement) in
relation to such Book-Entry Security prior to or together with the earlier of
the delivery to such purchaser or its agent of (a) the confirmation of sale or
(b) the Book-Entry Security.
DATE OF SETTLEMENT:
The receipt by the Company of immediately available funds in payment for a
Book-Entry Security and the authentication and issuance of the Global Security
representing such Book-Entry Security shall constitute "settlement" with respect
to such Book-Entry Security. All orders of Book-Entry Securities solicited by a
Selling Agent or made by a Purchasing Agent and accepted by the Company on a
particular date (the "Trade Date") will be settled on a date (the "Settlement
Date") which is the third Business Day after the Trade Date pursuant to the
"Settlement Procedure Timetable" set forth below, unless the Company and the
purchaser agree to settlement on another Business Day which shall be no earlier
than the next Business Day after the Trade Date.
SETTLEMENT PROCEDURE TIMETABLE:
For orders of Book-Entry Securities solicited by a Selling Agent and
accepted by the Company for settlement on the fifth Business Day after the Trade
Date, Settlement Procedures "A" through "I" set forth above shall be completed
as soon as possible but not later than the respective times (New York City time)
set forth below:
SETTLEMENT
PROCEDURE
---------
TIME
----
A 5:00 p.m. on the Business Day following the Trade Date or
10:00 a.m. on the Business Day prior to the
Settlement Date, whichever is earlier
B 12:00 noon on the second Business Day immediately preceding
the Settlement Date
II-7
C 2:00 p.m. on the second Business Day immediately preceding
the Settlement Date
D 9:00 a.m. on the Settlement Date
E 10:00 a.m. on the Settlement Date
F-G 2:00 p.m. on the Settlement Date
H 4:45 p.m. on the Settlement Date
I 5:00 p.m. on the Settlement Date
If the initial interest rate for a Floating Rate Book-Entry Security has
not been determined at the time that Settlement Procedure "A" is completed,
Settlement Procedures "B" and "C" shall be completed as soon as such rate has
been determined but no later than 2:00 p.m. on the second Business Day
immediately preceding the Settlement Date. Settlement Procedure "H" is subject
to extension in accordance with any extension of Fedwire closing deadlines and
in the other events specified in the SDFS operating procedures in effect on the
Settlement Date.
If settlement of a Book-Entry Security is rescheduled or canceled, the
Trustee, upon obtaining knowledge thereof, will deliver to the Depositary,
through the Depositary's Participant Terminal System, a cancellation message to
such effect by no later than 2:00 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding
the scheduled Settlement Date.
FAILURE TO SETTLE:
If the Trustee fails to enter an SDFS deliver order with respect to a
Book-Entry Security pursuant to Settlement Procedure "F", the Trustee may
deliver to the Depositary, through the Depositary's Participant Terminal System,
as soon as practicable a withdrawal message instructing the Depositary to debit
such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee's participant account, provided that the
Trustee's participant account contains a principal amount of the Global Security
representing such Book-Entry Security that is at least equal to the principal
amount to be debited. If a withdrawal message is processed with respect to all
the Book-Entry Securities represented by a Global Security, the Trustee will
xxxx such Global Security "canceled", make appropriate entries in the Trustee's
records and send such canceled Global Security to the Company. The CUSIP number
assigned to such Global Security shall, in accordance with CUSIP Service Bureau
procedures, be canceled and not immediately reassigned. If a withdrawal message
is processed with respect to one or more, but not all, of the Book-Entry
Securities represented by a Global Security, the Trustee will exchange such
Global Security for two Global Securities, one of which shall represent such
Book-Entry Security or Securities and shall be canceled immediately after
issuance and the other of which shall represent the remaining Book-Entry
Securities previously represented by the surrendered Global Security and shall
bear the CUSIP number of the surrendered Global Security.
If the purchase price for any Book-Entry Security is not timely paid to the
participants with respect to such Book-Entry Security by the beneficial
purchaser thereof (or a person, including an indirect participant in the
Depositary, acting on behalf of such purchaser), such participants and, in turn,
the Agent for such Book-Entry Security may enter deliver orders through the
Depositary's Participant Terminal System debiting such Book-Entry Security to
such participant's account and crediting such Book-Entry Security to such
Agent's account and then debiting such Book-Entry
II-8
Security to such Agent's participant account and crediting such Book-Entry
Security to the Trustee's participant account and shall notify the Company and
the Trustee thereof. Thereafter, the Trustee will (i) immediately notify the
Company of such order and the Company shall transfer to such Agent funds
available for immediate use in an amount equal to the price of such Book-Entry
Security which was credited to the account of the Company maintained at the
Trustee in accordance with Settlement Procedure I, and (ii) deliver the
withdrawal message and take the related actions described in the preceding
paragraph. If such failure shall have occurred for any reason other than
default by the applicable Agent to perform its obligations hereunder or under
the Distribution Agreement, the Company will reimburse such Agent on an
equitable basis for the loss of its use of funds during the period when the
funds were credited to the account of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon any failure to settle with respect to a
Book-Entry Security, the Depositary may take any actions in accordance with its
SDFS operating procedures then in effect. In the event of a failure to settle
with respect to one or more, but not all, of the Book-Entry Securities to have
been represented by a Global Security, the Trustee will provide, in accordance
with Settlement Procedure "D", for the authentication and issuance of a Global
Security representing the other Book-Entry Securities to have been represented
by such Global Security and will make appropriate entries in its records. The
Company will, from time to time, furnish the Trustee with a sufficient quantity
of Securities.
PART II: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR CERTIFICATED SECURITIES
POSTING RATES BY COMPANY:
The Company and the Agents will discuss from time to time the rates of
interest per annum to be borne by and the maturity of Certificated Securities
that may be sold as a result of the solicitation of offers by an Agent. The
Company may establish a fixed set of interest rates and maturities for an
offering period ("posting"). If the Company decides to change already posted
rates, it will promptly advise the Agents to suspend solicitation of offers
until the new posted rates have been established with the Agents.
ACCEPTANCE OF OFFERS BY COMPANY:
Each Agent will promptly advise the Company by telephone or other
appropriate means of all reasonable offers to purchase Certificated Securities,
other than those rejected by such Agent. Each Agent may, in its discretion
reasonably exercised, reject any offer received by it in whole or in part. Each
Agent also may make offers to the Company to purchase Certificated Securities as
a Purchasing Agent. The Company will have the sole right to accept offers to
purchase Certificated Securities and may reject any such offer in whole or in
part.
The Company will promptly notify the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as
the case may be, of its acceptance or rejection of an offer to purchase
Certificated Securities. If the Company accepts an offer to purchase
Certificated Securities, it will confirm such acceptance in writing to the
Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, and the Trustee.
II-9
COMMUNICATION OF SALE INFORMATION TO COMPANY BY AGENT:
After the acceptance of an offer by the Company, the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, will communicate the following details of
the terms of such offer (the "Sale Information") to the Company by telephone
(confirmed in writing) or by facsimile transmission or other acceptable written
means:
(1) Principal Amount of Certificated Securities to be purchased;
(2) If a Fixed Rate Certificated Security, the interest rate and initial
interest payment date;
(3) Trade Date;
(4) Settlement Date;
(5) Maturity Date;
(6) Specified Currency and, if the Specified Currency is other than
U.S. dollars, the applicable Exchange Rate for such Specified
Currency;
(7) Indexed Currency, the Base Rate and the Exchange Rate Determination
Date, if applicable;
(8) Issue Price;
(9) Selling Agent's commission or Purchasing Agent's discount, as the case
may be;
(10) Net Proceeds to the Company;
(11) If a redeemable Certificated Security, such of the following as are
applicable:
(i) Redemption Commencement Date,
(ii) Initial Redemption Price (% of par), and
(iii) Amount (% of par) that the Redemption Price shall decline (but
not below par) on each anniversary of the Redemption Commencement
Date;
(12) If a Floating Rate Certificated Security, such of the following as are
applicable:
(i) Interest Rate Basis,
(ii) Index Maturity,
(iii) Spread or Spread Multiplier,
II-10
(iv) Maximum Rate,
(v) Minimum Rate,
(vi) Initial Interest Rate,
(vii) Interest Reset Dates,
(viii) Calculation Dates,
(ix) Interest Determination Dates,
(x) Interest Payment Dates,
(xi) Regular Record Dates, and
(xii) Calculation Agent;
(13) Name, address and taxpayer identification number of the registered
owner(s);
(14) Denomination of certificates to be delivered at settlement;
(15) Book-Entry Security or Certificated Security; and
(16) Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent.
PREPARATION OF PRICING SUPPLEMENT BY COMPANY:
If the Company accepts an offer to purchase a Certificated Security, it
will prepare a Pricing Supplement reflecting the terms of such Certificated
Security and arrange to have delivered to the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent,
as the case may be, at least ten copies of such Pricing Supplement, not later
than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day following the Trade
Date, or if the Company and the purchaser agree to settlement on the date of
acceptance of such offer, not later than noon, New York City time, on such date.
The Company will arrange to have ten Pricing Supplements filed with the
Commission not later than the close of business of the Commission on the fifth
Business Day following the date on which such Pricing Supplement is first used.
DELIVERY OF CONFIRMATION AND PROSPECTUS TO PURCHASER BY SELLING AGENT:
The Selling Agent will deliver to the purchaser of a Certificated Security
a written confirmation of the sale and delivery and payment instructions. In
addition, the Selling Agent will deliver to such purchaser or its agent the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the Pricing Supplement) in
relation to such Certificated Security prior to or together with the earlier of
the delivery to such purchaser or its agent of (a) the confirmation of sale or
(b) the Certificated Security.
II-11
DATE OF SETTLEMENT:
All offers of Certificated Securities solicited by a Selling Agent or made
by a Purchasing Agent and accepted by the Company will be settled on a date (the
"Settlement Date") which is the third Business Day after the date of acceptance
of such offer, unless the Company and the purchaser agree to settlement (a) on
another Business Day after the acceptance of such offer or (b) with respect to
an offer accepted by the Company prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the
date of such acceptance.
INSTRUCTION FROM COMPANY TO TRUSTEE FOR PREPARATION OF CERTIFICATED SECURITIES:
After receiving the Sale Information from the Selling Agent or Purchasing
Agent, as the case may be, the Company will communicate such Sale Information to
the Trustee by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile transmission or
other acceptable written means.
The Company will instruct the Trustee by facsimile transmission or other
acceptable written means to authenticate and deliver the Certificated Securities
no later than 2:15 p.m., New York City time, on the Settlement Date. Such
instruction will be given by the Company prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time,
on the Business Day immediately preceding the Settlement Date unless the
Settlement Date is the date of acceptance by the Company of the offer to
purchase Certificated Securities in which case such instruction will be given by
the Company by 11:00 a.m., New York City time.
PREPARATION AND DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATED SECURITIES BY TRUSTEE AND RECEIPT OF
PAYMENT THEREFOR:
The Trustee will prepare each Certificated Security and appropriate
receipts that will serve as the documentary control of the transaction.
In the case of a sale of Certificated Securities to a purchaser solicited
by a Selling Agent, the Trustee will, by 2:15 p.m., New York City time, on the
Settlement Date, deliver the Certificated Securities to the Selling Agent for
the benefit of the purchaser of such Certificated Securities against delivery by
the Selling Agent of a receipt therefor. On the Settlement Date the Selling
Agent will deliver payment for such Certificated Securities in immediately
available funds to the Company in an amount equal to the issue price of the
Certificated Securities less the Selling Agent's commission; provided that the
Selling Agent reserves the right to withhold payment for which it has not
received funds from the purchaser. The Company shall not use any proceeds
advanced by a Selling Agent to acquire securities.
In the case of a sale of Certificated Securities to a Purchasing Agent, the
Trustee will, by 2:15 p.m., New York City time, on the Settlement Date, deliver
the Certificated Securities to the Purchasing Agent against delivery of payment
for such Certificated Securities in immediately available funds to the Company
in an amount equal to the issue price of the Certificated Securities less the
Purchasing Agent's discount.
II-12
FAILURE OF PURCHASER TO PAY SELLING AGENT:
If a purchaser (other than a Purchasing Agent) fails to make payment to the
Selling Agent for a Certificated Security, the Selling Agent will promptly
notify the Trustee and the Company thereof by telephone (confirmed in writing)
or by facsimile transmission or other acceptable written means. The Selling
Agent will immediately return the Certificated Security to the Trustee.
Immediately upon receipt of such Certificated Security by the Trustee, the
Company will return to the Selling Agent an amount equal to the amount
previously paid to the Company in respect of such Certificated Security. The
Company will reimburse the Selling Agent on an equitable basis for its loss of
the use of funds during the period when they were credited to the account of the
Company.
The Trustee will cancel the Certificated Security in respect of which the
failure occurred, make appropriate entries in its records and, unless otherwise
instructed by the Company, destroy the Certificated Security.
II-13
ANNEX III
ACCOUNTANTS' LETTER
Pursuant to Sections 4(j) and 6(d), as the case may be, of the Distribution
Agreement, the Company's independent certified public accountants shall furnish
letters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect to
the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the
applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary
financial information and schedules audited (and, if applicable, financial
forecasts and/or pro forma financial information) examined by them and
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and
the related published rules and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable,
they have made a review in accordance with standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the consolidated
interim financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial
information, financial forecasts and/or condensed financial statements
derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods
specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of
which have been furnished to the Agents and are attached hereto;
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards established
by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the unaudited
condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets
and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or
included in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus as indicated in their reports thereon copies
of which are attached hereto; and on the basis of specified procedures
including inquiries of officials of the Company who have responsibility for
financial and accounting matters regarding whether the unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements referred to in paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the related published
rules and regulations, nothing came to their attention that caused them to
believe that the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do
not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the related
published rules and regulations;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to the
consolidated results of operations and financial position of the Company
for the five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus and
included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year agrees with the
corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in the audited
consolidated
III-1
financial statements for five such fiscal years which were included or
incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for
such fiscal years;
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and on
the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came to
their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused them to
believe that this information does not conform in all material respects
with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and 503(d),
respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of the
minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of the
latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference
in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its
subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and such
other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing
came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included in the Prospectus and/or included or incorporated by reference in
the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act and the related
published rules and regulations, or (ii) any material modifications should
be made to the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included in the Prospectus or included in the Company's Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus for them to be in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items
included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding items in the
unaudited consolidated financial statements from which such data and items
were derived, and any such unaudited data and items were not determined on
a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding
amounts in the audited consolidated financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the most recent fiscal year;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included in the
Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited condensed financial
statements referred to in clause (A) and any unaudited income statement
data and balance sheet items included in the Prospectus and referred to in
Clause (B) were not determined on a basis substantially
III-2
consistent with the basis for the audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the most recent fiscal year;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder
or the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the
historical amounts in the compilation of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the date
of such letter, there have been any changes in the consolidated capital
stock (other than issuances of capital stock upon exercise of options and
stock appreciation rights, upon earn-outs of performance shares and upon
conversions of convertible securities, in each case which were outstanding
on the date of the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated long-term
debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated
net current assets or stockholders' equity or other items specified by the
Agents, or any increases in any items specified by the Agents, in each case
as compared with amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, except in each case for
changes, increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have
occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to the specified
date referred to in Clause (E) there were any decreases in consolidated net
revenues or operating profit or the total or per share amounts of
consolidated net income or other items specified by the Agents, or any
increases in any items specified by the Agents, in each case as compared
with the comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period
of corresponding length specified by the Agents, except in each case for
increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may
occur or which are described in such letter; and
(vii) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s) included
or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited procedures,
inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in
paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out certain specified
procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance with generally accepted
auditing standards, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and
financial information specified by the Agents which are derived from the
general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, which
appear in the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by reference),
or in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration
Statement specified by the Agents or in documents incorporated by reference
in the Prospectus specified by the Agents, and have compared certain of
such amounts, percentages and financial information with the accounting
records of the Company and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in
agreement.
III-3
All references in this Annex III to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as
defined in the Distribution Agreement as of the Commencement Date referred to in
Section 6(d) thereof and to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including
the documents incorporated by reference therein) as of the date of the
amendment, supplement, incorporation or the Time of Delivery relating to the
Terms Agreement requiring the delivery of such letter under Section 4(j)
thereof.
III-4
